LOK ADALAT

Lok Adalats: People’s Court

  • Lok Adalat means “People’s Court,” based on Gandhian principles.
  • Recognized by the Supreme Court as an ancient Indian system of dispute resolution still valid today.
  • Part of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) system offering informal, cost-effective, and quick justice.

Key Milestones:

  • First Lok Adalat camp: Gujarat, 1982 (voluntary, without statutory backing).
  • Statutory status: Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.

Organization and Structure

  • Authority to Organize:
    • State/District Legal Services Authorities or Supreme Court/High Court/Taluk Legal Services Committees.
    • National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) also conducts Lok Adalats.
  • Composition:
    • A judicial officer as Chairman.
    • Members: A lawyer and a social worker.
  • NALSA:
    • Established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 (enforced in 1995).
    • Provides free and competent legal services to weaker sections of society.
    • Amendment (2002): Establishment of Permanent Lok Adalats for public utility services.

Types of Lok Adalats

  • National Lok Adalat:
    • Held nationwide on a single day at regular intervals.
    • Cases are taken up simultaneously across the country.
  • Permanent Lok Adalat:
    • Set up for public utility services (transport, postal services, etc.).
    • Handles pre-litigation disputes and cases where parties agree to settle.
    • Jurisdiction over cases up to ₹1 crore.
  • Mobile Lok Adalat:
    • Conducted at various locations to provide justice at the doorstep, especially for remote or rural areas.
  • Special Lok Adalat:
    • Organized to deal with specific types of cases (e.g., matrimonial disputes, labor issues).
  • Mega Lok Adalat:
    • Large-scale Lok Adalats held across multiple states simultaneously.

Jurisdiction

  • Scope:
    • Cases pending in courts or matters within court jurisdiction not yet brought to the court.
  • Referral Process:
    • With party agreement, court satisfaction, or party application.
    • Pre-litigation disputes via application from any party.
  • Types of Cases:
    • Family disputes, criminal (compoundable offenses), land acquisition, labor disputes, compensation cases, bank recovery cases, etc.
  • Exclusions:
    • Non-compoundable offenses under any law.

Powers

  • Lok Adalats have Civil Court powers (Code of Civil Procedure, 1908).
  • Authority to specify procedures for disputes.
  • Proceedings deemed judicial under IPC (1860); Lok Adalats considered Civil Courts under CrPC (1973).
  • Awards:
    • Deemed a decree of a Civil Court.
    • Final and binding, with no appeal permissible.

Benefits

  • Cost-Effectiveness:
    • No court fees; refunded if already paid.
  • Efficiency:
    • Flexible procedures and speedy trials.
  • Interactive:
    • Parties can directly interact with the judge through their counsel.
  • Finality:
    • Awards are binding, non-appealable, and equivalent to Civil Court decrees.

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